Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin in that rare thing, a tub thumping speech about transport at the Conservative Party conference, announced the intention to make 2018 the ’Year of the Engineer’.

"A year of the engineer - to excite a new generation of Brunels, Stephensons and Telfords. "

“We’re digging Crossrail under London - the biggest construction project in Europe, 26 miles east to west across London - a £15 billion investment that will make it easy to get around and boost our national economy. We should recognise what brilliant engineers we have in this country,” he said.

“I am immensely proud of what they achieve. And so in 2018 - when Crossrail is complete - I want us to do something special. A year of the engineer - to excite a new generation of Brunels, Stephensons and Telfords. ”

McLoughlin also used his speech to sum up the value of investing in infrastructure. “Rebuilding Britain means being ambitious. Drawing strength from our history to renew our success. If our transport system today was good enough for tomorrow, I’d be out of a job. But what we’ve inherited - it’s not enough for the future. And there’s a word for the solution: ‘infrastructure’.

”It’s the magic ingredient in growth. It brings freedom. It brings choice. The chance to get on. And that is why our party has always supported things like motorways. The Channel Tunnel. Crossrail in London. And yes, good reliable high speed rail to come.

Each one, controversial at the time. Each one adding strength to our nation once it is done.”